Now, ahead of the hybrid Outlander's unveiling in Paris, more details have been released concerning how the plug-in system will work.

The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) system uses two electric motors, one driving the front wheels and one driving the rear wheels. The two motors and a gasoline engine will deliver power to the four-wheel-drive system in one of three modes. In Pure mode, both of the electric motors use power from the battery. In Series mode, the Outlander uses the gasoline engine to generate electricity for both of the electric motors. In Parallel mode, the gasoline engine drives the front wheels, with assistance from the electric motors.

Mitsubishi's target is a range of 31 miles on battery power alone and a combined range of nearly 500 miles.

The Outlander PHEV will go on sale first in Japan in early 2013, followed by an entry into the European market. The U.S. version will be available sometime during the 2013 fiscal year, along with the standard gasoline version.